


Awake With The Moon

by Honeywhisker



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Inspired by Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki | The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki, Wolf!Noctis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 01:59:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15571245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Honeywhisker/pseuds/Honeywhisker
Summary: Inspired by the movie Wolf Children!After Aulea dies and leaves an all to human Regis to raise their wolf son, he has to learn to balance being a father with being King. Cor and Clarus are there to help but while Clarus has some experience with children at least, none of them know what it takes to raise a wolf.





	Awake With The Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Loved this movie ever since I saw it and the dynamic between Regis and Noctis just reminded me of Hana and Ame. Plus who can say no to the ultimate puppy eyes?
> 
> [ For an idea of what Noct looks like as a wolf.](https://goo.gl/images/YBWX1H)

The day Noctis was born was one of the best days of Regis’ life. He remembers the first time he held the little bundle of cloth that contained his son. Already he knew that he would do anything for his child. This small, fragile thing was everything he and Aulea had hoped for. 

Aulea held their son for the first and last time that day. She was able to see him smile before everything went wrong. She had been bleeding too much and her condition made it impossible to take her to a hospital or even the infirmary in the Citadel. She stressed that Lucis could not find out what she was. It would put their child in too much danger. Instead, Regis was forced to work with what they had on hand to try and stem the bleeding while she held their child. 

In the end he failed. He watched as her body was covered and taken away for burial while he held their son. Over the course of a few hours he was gifted with a child but lost his wife. Regis was left as the sole ruler of Lucis and the now single father of an almost extinct wolf. 

 

Where Aulea had full control over her ability to disguise herself it was quickly becoming apparent that kind of skill came with age. Noctis was always somewhere halfway between, either having fluffy ears and howling while otherwise looking almost normal or looking almost entirely like his wolf mother and stumbling around as he learned to walk. Either way it seemed that's what Noctis would be for the time being and as he himself had no real idea on the matter Regis simply closed off his quarters to everyone but Clarus and Cor. No servants, council members, or even crownsguard were allowed on his floor. If any of them saw his son running around in his preferred half forms it could be disastrous.

Clarus and Cor were there to ensure that didn't happen. Clarus would hardly be separated from his king and charge so easily and Cor was just as stubborn. So when he sat them both down and explained why he took the measures he did they thought he had gone mad and didn't hesitate to tell him so. 

Instead Regis explained carefully that Aulea was a wolf. That wolves could take human shape and that's why they were considered extinct. They were in hiding among normal people. 

Together they started to piece the odd behaviors of the royal family in place. How they insisted on a natural home birth, why they didn't seek medical help, the reason behind Noctis being with his father when a wet nurse should have taken over. It was so no one would see anything they shouldn't. They honored Regis’ trust in them and decided then and there that Noctis would be the most important thing in their lives. Together they both reswore their oaths to the Crown and protecting the young Prince.

 

Noctis had teethed at an early age, partially due to his wolf teething early as well, but somehow they never really managed to break him of the habit. Now, at six, he was still a little terror who had never really learned what he should and should not chew on. He had chewed on his father's cane so much he had to commission a special metal one to stop his son from leaving bite marks that people could question. On the other side of that though, Regis kept the chew marks on the dark wooden door frame as a mark of Noctis’ growth.

Now that he was older he slowed down on the destructive chewing and instead simply enjoyed having something to chew on. He had collected many stuffed animals that he liked to carry around. Regis even gifted him with a stuffed wolf that looked almost exactly Noctis did when he was in his wolf form. 

Unfortunately, the others who had to deal with Noctis’ “special problem” weren't as endeared by his puppyhood habit. Clarus has had to replace several items of clothing as anything left unattended that didn't smell like Regis was deemed fair game for Noctis’ chewing habit. 

Cor had gotten to to the point where he was even sick of sending bills to the King for new uniform boots and had scrounged up a gift that would hopefully put an end to the problem. 

He opened the doors to Noctis’ wing of the Royal floor and quickly crouched to catch the black blur that came sprinting at him. 

“Uncle Cor! What are you doing here, dad said you'd all be in meetings today.” 

He stood up with the small boy in one arm and a wrapped present under the other. “Your father and his Shield may have to attend boring meeting all day but no one wants to mess with your uncle the Marshal. Instead I get to come up here and be the one to give you this little present.”

Noctis’ eyes got big and he started to wiggle in the older man's arms as he tried to get a look at the wrapped package under his other arm. “What is it? Can I open it now? Can I?” 

“I don't know kid, think maybe we should wait for your father to come back? I'm sure he'd want to know too.”

He resisted a chuckle as Noct shook his head, hair flying about until two little fluffy ears poked out from the black mess. “I wanna open it now, dad won't mind, promise.”

“I'm not sure about that, you know how your dad is, Noct.”

And there's what he was waiting for, the puppy eyes. Cor would never call himself a sucker for such things but when it was the kid you practically raised he figured he could cut himself a little slack. Noct’s big watery blue eyes and his fluffy ears just completed the image. Quite literal puppy eyes. 

“Could those eyes get any bigger,” he set the kid down and presented his gift. “Go for it, pup.” 

Noct gave a happy squeak that sounded kind of like a bark before he grabbed the long bundle and started tearing into the paper with the combined energy of both child and puppy. The blue and black wrapping paper flew everywhere as he tore it apart to reveal a long dull grey bone. 

As with every item that entered a room Noctis was in, the bone found sharp little teeth as Noct gave it an experimental nibble. “What is it?”

“That is a behemoth bone. No matter how you chew you won't break it. Heck, I'll bet your sharp little monster teeth won't even put a mark on it.”

Noct stuck his tongue out at Cor but grabbed the large bone anyway. He ran off with the bone in his mouth now as a little black wolf pup. This time Cor couldn't resist a laugh as he watched Noctis pout while chewing on his bone. Cor reached over and laid a hand on the little wolf. Noctis paused before rolling over to lick Cor’s hand. The Marshal picked up the pup and laid him on his chest with a hand on his back. 

 

It had been Clarus who'd had the idea to convert one of the gardens on the Royal floor into something Noctis could use to burn off some of his energy. As he got older the eight year old Prince had more energy than any of the adults who cared for him could keep up with. So one of several gardens was left to grow as if without tending. The plants grew out and the trees became untamed while normal plant life grew in where only grass previously was. 

This let Noctis run around to his heart's content so he would stop destroying everything in his rooms. Cor giving the Prince something to chew on that he couldn't destroy was a help but running out his energy hopefully would help more. 

“Uncle Clarus are we starting yet?”

Clarus hid the last object, the self same bone that Noctis loved so much, hidden up one of the many fruit trees. “Almost, your Highness.”

He could hear the groan from where he was across the garden grounds. “You know I hate that, besides I'm pretty sure most Princes are stuck on one floor of their castle.”

He walked back around the outer edge of the garden back to where Noctis was waiting, bouncing on his toes as he waited for the go ahead. “We could alway have you in a tower like a Princess.”

“At least she got a happy ending,” Noctis grumbled.

“You will too once we find a way to get people to understand. You're already getting better at controlling yourself. Soon Regis will even let you meet your own Shield. My son is about your age.” Clarus reassured his young charge. Soon Gladio would have to learn the truth about the Prince he was soon to serve. Regardless of Noctis’ circumstances the Amicitias would always serve the Crown. “It will help to have friends your age.” 

Noctis, however, looked less enthused by the idea. “I don't know if I want other people. I like just you and dad and Cor. Other people can't be that good if you guys won't even let them on this floor.”

“Socializing is good for you Highness. If you don't you won't be prepared for when you ascend to the throne,” Clarus tried to reason. 

“I don't know if I want the throne,” Noctis glanced down to where he was scuffing the dirt with his bear feet. The boy could hear the slow exhale from the man next to him.

“Throne or no, I'm sure you'd still like friends. I'm sure having some kids who are your age would be an upgrade from old Cor and I. We won't be able to keep up with you for long.” 

“I just don't want people to be afraid of me or feel like they need to be around me.” Noctis was starting to fluff up as his feelings got stronger. “I like having you around cause I know you don't feel like that. I'm not sure others won't.”

Clarus placed a hand on Noctis’ head and gently pet between his ears. “We would never let anyone like that near you. My children would be more than happy to meet you.”

Noct seemed to perk up a bit at that and Clarus had a moment to curse himself for putting the idea in the kids head without consulting his father about it first before he decided if he was going to make this mess for Noctis then he might as well make it. “Gladiolus will be meeting you soon as your Shield but maybe he and Iris can come up and meet you sooner than that. I know Iris would love these gardens.”

“I'd like to meet them too,” Noct whispered. 

“Then I'll see about getting them here as soon as I can. For now, let's see if you can find all those items I hid in your playroom.”

Noctis shook himself, as if pushing off all the crushing thoughts he'd just been sharing and grinned toothily up at Clarus. “Let's see if you hide them well enough to fool my nose, old man,” and he bolted off into the garden to start his scent scavenger hunt while Clarus was left wondering how to make his promise into reality.

 

Regis was sad to admit it but Noctis was growing up and he was missing out. What made this idea worse was that Noctis wouldn't even hold it against his father for having to abandon him for most of his childhood while secluding him from his own age group due to his blood. 

His time with Noctis was going to keep getting shorter as well. As his child grew he would have to start taking on more responsibility in the kingdom. Soon he would have to let him out into the world and hope he could contain his wilder half. But for now he could still cherish what time he had and make the most of it. 

Thinking of ways to make more time for his son, Regis made his way to Noctis’ garden. He was glad when Clarus brought the idea of letting Gladio and Iris meet Noct and even more so when he found the Scientia boy showed his resolve to be Noct’s advisor. Though they were still noble-bred at least his son had friends his own age. Friends that knew about his heritage and accepted him for it. 

By the time he entered Noctis’ wild garden the moon was in the sky and the other inhabitants of the floor had all gone to bed or were at least resting in their rooms. Noct alone was active at this time of night. Regis was only still awake because he wanted to see his son. 

“Noctis,” he called as he stepped into the open room. Regis quickly looked around but didn't see any sign that his son was running through those trees. “Noct, come out please.” 

When there was still no signal that either wolf or boy had heard him he sighed and plunged into the garden himself. He wouldn't put it past his son to have fallen asleep despite his nature and own inclination. The boy seemed to nod off at every opportunity. “Noctis, you know you can't just fall asleep wherever you want,” his light scolding fell short when he came upon his son laying on the ground curled up around some kind of fruit that had obviously fallen from one of the trees above him. 

Regis stumbled quickly to his child and pulled him to his chest. “Noct, please, wake up,” he ran a critical eye over his son and after catching sight of some sort of froth at his mouth, he pulled out his phone and dialed Clarus. 

His shield was as attentive as always and answered on the second ring. “Regis?”

“Get Cor and keep the kids away. I need you both in Noctis’ garden. He's eaten something that's made him sick.”

Clarus assured his King he would be there in no less than five minutes before hanging up and leaving Regis alone again with his shaking child. 

“Please Noctis, I refuse to lose you,” he placed his forehead to Noctis’ and uttered a prayer to the Astrals. Healing had never been a magic he had mastered but he would give up every other power to be able to soothe his son. 

He was helplessly rubbing Noctis’ back and wiping away the bile that dripped past his mouth when Clarus arrived. Two minutes early with the Marshall in tow. 

“Has he woken up at all?”

“Nothing coherent, just some mumbling and growling. He's not choking, he had to have eaten this fruit,” Regis fretted as Cor peeled Noctis’ eyelids up and tested their reactions. 

Clarus tried to help Regis piece everything together. “He might not be choking like a human might but he's not fully human. It might be something his wolf half can't handle.”

“Gods, I would even bring help up here even if it meant they would know his secret, if I knew it would help him. We can't even be sure if it's a doctor or a vet I should call,” Regis was starting to get more hysterical the more Noctis remained unmoving in Cor’s arms. For now he would have to trust that the field medic training Cor had would be enough.

Cor quickly called Clarus over as Noctis started to shiver more violently. “Help me turn him over, he needs to be face down, support his shoulders.” 

“What is happening with him?”

“I think his body is trying to get rid of whatever he ate. He might just need a little help.” Cor waved Regis over as well and had him kneel at Noct’s other side to support him. 

With the Prince hanging limp between his father and the men who helped raise him they felt their anxiety heighten. They couldn't help but think what would happen should they fail. Should they call the Infirmary and the Stable Vet? Someone would know what to do, surely. 

Cor felt the Princes pulse and glanced over him one more time before making up their minds. “I'm going to induce vomiting. If he's not better with it out of his system we get help, damn the consequence.” 

With that he had the two holding the boy tighten their grip and he gently held his head before quickly pushing a finger into Noctis’ throat. 

It got a reaction at least, as the boy’s eyes widened and he squirmed weakly before throwing up the contents of his stomach. Regis rubbed his back and whispered soothing words and his son dry heaved, but he was conscious and that was a positive step. 

They stayed in the garden for another fifteen minutes, the adults all keeping a close eye on the Prince even as he started to whine about the taste in his mouth and the slight pain in his stomach. One comment from Cor about needing to throw up again was enough to silence that complaint and if he did later throw up a second time, they simply acted as normal.

 

It was a few days after the fruit incident and Noctis was back to his old self playing hide and seek with his friends in his garden once more. If the children noticed a certain fruit tree missing, no one said anything about it. 

The three adults watched on with a kind of haggard serenity. 

“He’s already growing up to be more trouble than you were, Regis.”

“That's hardly fair, Clarus. I didn't have the advantage of being a wolf.”

Cor just sighed as the two bickered over which Royal would be a bigger troublemaker. “You're both going to be the cause of my going grey early.”

“That's what parenting does to you, Marshall.”


End file.
